Interview: How the 16th-century Basilica of Bom Jesus became an icon of Goan identity
From the 19th century to now, images of the church have been used alongside the Exposition of the remains of the St Xavier as well as tourist souvenirs.
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Once a decade, the sacred relics of Saint Francis Xavier are put on public display at the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa. The decennial Exposition that begins in 2024 will run between November 21 and January 5, 2025.
Since 1624, the Basilica has housed the remains of St Xavier, a Catholic missionary of Spanish origin. Goa was a Portuguese colony from 1510 to 1961. Nearly 500 years on, the church still stands and is a revered site for many Goans and others regardless of their religious affiliations. Images and representations of the Basilica, depicting its towering, auburn laterite walls, are widely used to advertise Goa as a tourist destination
How did a 16th-century basilica become an icon of Goan identity?
In his research, scholar Vishvesh Prabhakar Kandolkar has found recurring use of images of the Basilica of Bom Jesus over the centuries, depictions in each period reflecting technological changes. Most notably, between the 19th and 21st centuries, advancements in photography and other forms of reproduction have allowed for the Basilica to be seen in Exposition-related ephemera as well as modern-day tourist souvenirs.
Kandolkar, an architectural historian by training and an associate professor at the Goa College of Architecture, has documented his findings in his...
